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Miranda Hart
Miranda Katharine Hart Dyke, known professionally as Miranda Hart[2], (born 14 December 1972)[3] is an English actress, writer and stand-up comedienne. She wrote and starred in the 2009-10 BBC Two sitcom Miranda. She also appeared in French and Saunders, the BBC television series Hyperdrive and her semi-autobiographical sitcom Miranda Hart's Joke Shop on BBC Radio 2. Early Life Born in Torquay, Devon to Royal Navy officer David Hart Dyke and Diana Margaret Luce, Hart grew up in Petersfield, Hampshire. She was educated at Downe House, Berkshire, an independent girls' boarding school, where she was a contemporary and friend of the sports presenter Clare Balding, who was head girl.[4] She graduated with upper second-class honours in politics at the University of the West of England, followed by training at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts. Despite studying politics, she always wanted to be a comedienne. In 2002, she did a solo show in Edinburgh, and in 2004 she pitched a comedy show to the BBC. At her read-through for BBC executives, Jennifer Saunders was there, laughing throughout.[5] While appearing on Frank Skinner's Opinionated in 2010, she stated that she was from an upper-class background, but hated saying that and did not consider herself upper-class. She added that her family tree has been traced back to the 12th century, and that her aunt and uncle live in a castle that they cannot afford to run. Live performance Avoiding the normal stand-up circuit for more character-based comedy, including an appearance in the Edinburgh and touring show The Sitcom Trials, Hart has written her own theatre material for the Edinburgh Fringe. Her one-woman shows include Miranda Hart – Throbs, It's All About Me and Miranda Hart's House Party. She also performed in Alecky Blythe's 2006 play Cruising at the Bush Theatre. In 2010 she and six other TV celebrities raised over £1 million for charity by cycling from John O'Groats to Land's End.[6] Television and Film Hart starred as Teal in two series of the BBC television comedy sci-fi series Hyperdrive, which ran from January 2006 to August 2007. She has also appeared in French & Saunders, My Family and Other Animals, Nighty Night, Absolutely Fabulous, The Vicar of Dibley, Lead Balloon, William and Mary, Smack the Pony (for which she wrote and performed in a couple of sketches and a number of video diaries), Not Going Out and Stupid! She appeared in the third series of Comic Relief does Fame Academy in 2007, and became the second contestant to be voted off the show.[7] In 2009, she appeared in the last ever sketch from French and Saunders, also in aid of Comic Relief. Hart appeared in a short film by Tim Plester World of Wrestling in which she played Klondyke Kate, a wrestler billed as 'hell in boots'. The film was released in late 2007 alongside its companion shorts Blakes Junction 7 and Ant Muzak. In 2006, she appeared in an episode of Not Going Out as an acupuncturist. Her performance impressed the producers so much that they wrote a regular role for her in the next series as clumsy cleaner Barbara; a part she continued to play until 2009. However, due to a busy filming schedule, the character did not return for the fourth series, aired in 2011.[8] In 2007 Miranda played the part of Shelley a Min Cab Driver in Channel 5 Comedy Angelos which ran for 6 episodes In 2008, she recorded the pilot episode of Miranda for BBC Two. The sitcom is based on her semi-autobiographical writing which went on to become a radio series, Miranda Hart's Joke Shop on BBC Radio 2. On 9 November 2009 Miranda, nominated "one of the top 10 forthcoming TV shows for Autumn 2009" by The Sunday Times,[9] began transmission on BBC Two.[10] She appeared as guest host of Have I Got News for You in October 2009. She also presented a BBC spoof programme looking back over 2009 called 2009 Unwrapped with Miranda Hart. A similar show looking back over 2010 was also broadcast in December 2010. She has also appeared twice on Strictly Come Dancing:It Takes Two. She is a fan of the series Strictly Come Dancing. Miranda Hart has appeared in the TV series Monday Monday starring Fay Ripley: Miranda played the role of "Tall Karen". She appeared in a T.V. advert for Alpen.[citation needed] In the final quarter of 2009, Heather Small's back catalogue sales increased by 73% as a result of frequent references to her hit single "Proud" in Miranda'.[citation needed]'' In 2010 she appeared in the final of ''Old Dears Club as snooty receptionist Beverly Gates.[citation needed] The second series of Miranda began on BBC2 in November 2010. The series ended with a viewing high of 4.1m and has been re-commissioned by the BBC for another two series to air in 2011 and 2012. Hart was described in the FT as "the most original and farcically hilarious female clown since Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.[11] A Miranda mini-episode set in the world of Pineapple Dance Studios was filmed and broadcast on 18 March as part of Comic Relief. Miranda Hart also took part in a Red Nose Day edition of MasterChef, which she won. Also for Comic Relief 2011, Hart starred as a judge for the finale of Let's Dance for Comic Relief, alongside Rufus Hound and Louie Spence. She also gave a signed Miranda script to be auctioned in aid of Comic Relief. Awards In 2010 she won the Best Comedy Performance award from the Royal Television Society for her performance in Miranda,[12] and was also nominated for best comedy writing.[13] She and Patricia Hodge were both nominated for "Best Comedy Actress" awards at the Monte-Carlo TV Festival 2010.[14] In 2011 she won[15] "Best Comedy Actress" and "People’s Choice Award For The King Or Queen Of Comedy" in the British Comedy Awards 2011, where Miranda also won "Best New British TV Comedy" and was nominated for "Best Sitcom"[16] In 2011 she has been nominated for a BAFTA for Best actress in a comedy role and her hit BBC2 sitcom Miranda has been nominated for the Bafta YouTube choice award which is the only award voted for by the public Personal Life and Family Hart's father is retired Royal Navy officer Captain David Hart Dyke CBE LVO RN[3] who was commanding officer of HMS Coventry when it was sunk by the Argentinians in the 1982 Falklands conflict, as a result of which he was badly burned trying to escape the stricken warship. His later career saw him serving as Aide-de-Camp to HM The Queen, 1988-9.[17] He retired from active naval service in 1990 with the rank of Captain (OF-5). Recently, he used his transcripts to write a book chronicling the events surrounding Coventry's sinking in a book entitled Four Weeks in May: A Captain's Story of War at Sea.[18] [3] Her mother is Diana Margaret Hart Dyke née Luce, the daughter of Sir William Luce GBE KCMG OBE (1907-1977), who was the British Governor and Commander in Chief of Aden, 1956-60.[3] Hart's uncle is The Rt Hon Lord Luce KG GCVO PC DL, a former Conservative MP and minister, who has since been HM Governor and Commander in Chief of Gibraltar (1997–2000) and Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household, 2000-2006.[19] On her mother's side, her great-grandfather was Vice Admiral Sir Trevylyan Napier KCB MVO, who was the Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station (1919-1920), while her great-great-grandfather was Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, 3rd Baronet, who was the Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom (1901-1920). Her great-uncle and the brother of her maternal grandfather was Admiral Sir David Luce GCB DSO & Bar OBE, who served as First Sea Lord.[citation needed] Her great-great-uncle was Major General Sir Richard Harman Luce KCMG CB, who served as Member of Parliament for Derby from 1924-1929.[citation needed] Hart's first cousin is modern-day plant hunter Tom Hart Dyke.[citation needed] Hart has a sister, Alice Louisa Hart Dyke (born 1975).[citation needed]